The most exciting day had finally arrived—Harvest Day! This was the children’s fifth visit to the Farm Lab, and the one month since they began felt like it passed in the blink of an eye. What they had sown on their very first day was now ready to be harvested.

The Junior Elementary students arrived earlier than the Advanced Elementary students, eager to begin their activities.

Harvesting Palak and Coriander

The day started with an introduction to the activities planned. The children’s faces lit up when they heard they would be harvesting their very own crops and taking them home. As they walked to their patches, they were delighted to see the lush, fully grown leafy vegetables waiting for them.

The facilitators demonstrated how to harvest properly: palak should be cut below the stems, while coriander could be gently uprooted. With careful hands and wide smiles, the children followed the instructions and harvested what they had nurtured for weeks. There was so much joy in knowing that the vegetables in their hands had grown from the tiny seeds they had sown themselves.

Each child packed their fresh harvest into their bags, proudly imagining sharing it with their families at home.

Sowing Gongura and Amaranthus

After harvesting, the Junior Elementary students were given new seeds to sow—gongura and amaranthus. They prepared their patches, sprinkled the seeds, and gently covered them with soil, excited to see what would grow in the coming weeks.

Paddy Sowing in the Field

Once this was done, they were invited to the paddy fields. Stepping barefoot into the cool, muddy water was a thrilling new experience! The children laughed, squealed, and splashed as they learned how to sow rice seeds using the broadcast method. Even though their clothes were covered in mud, their enthusiasm never dimmed—in fact, it made the activity all the more fun. 

Advanced Elementary Students’ Turn

While the Junior Elementary students were enjoying the paddy field, the Advanced Elementary group arrived at the Farm Lab. They headed to their patches and began harvesting their crops of methi and gongura.

Just like their juniors, they experienced the satisfaction of harvesting, sowing seeds, and planting paddy seeds.

The Joy of Muddy Hands and Paddy Fields

Nothing quite captures pure joy like a child covered in mud, sowing seeds in a paddy field. To most adults, mud is a mess, and farming feels like hard work. But for a child, the squelch of wet earth beneath tiny feet and the act of placing a seed into the soil is a moment of magic.

This isn’t just play. It’s an experience that teaches children where food comes from, the patience behind every grain of rice, and the respect farmers deserve for their work. In a world where convenience often hides the journey of our meals, moments like these reconnect children with the very source of life — the earth.

When children wade into paddy fields, they’re not only sowing seeds; they’re sowing memories. These memories stay — of laughter, teamwork, the rhythm of nature, and the grounding presence of the soil. They’re also learning resilience: that mud washes off, but the joy of discovery doesn’t.

Let’s encourage more of these simple, profound moments. Schools, parents, and communities can create opportunities for children to get their hands dirty, to understand farming, and to feel the heartbeat of nature. Because sometimes the most valuable lessons come not from books or screens, but from muddy feet and a field full of possibilities.

Closing the Day

After completing all the activities, both groups washed up, changed into clean clothes, and gathered for snacks. With tired but happy faces, they shared stories of harvesting, sowing, and playing in the mud, already looking forward to their next visit.

It was a day filled with learning, laughter, and a deep sense of connection with the land—one that the children will remember for a long time.